globy321 Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Hey guys. Have you guys felt that your supervisor is pushing you into an area that you did not like while doing Masters and how did you handle it? Have you guys felt that you want to drop out at the beginning of your Masters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostLamb Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 What exactly do you mean by 'pushing you into an area you do not like'? Regarding your second question, yes that thought crossed my mind and I was stubborn and stuck it out....it was not the right thing to do. The rule of thumb is that if things don't feel right or you and your supervisor are not communicating well/hitting it off, then maybe you aren't in the right environment for success. Switching labs, profs, programs is MUCH easier earlier on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globy321 Posted February 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Hi LostLamb. Thank you for your reply. I keep telling my supervisor that I want to focus my research project on neuroscience but he keeps telling me that it would be better if I did my project on semi-neuroscience dealing with neuroimmunology and asthma. When I had my first interview with the supervisor we agreed on one research topic which dealt with stroke and hypoxia induced neuronal death. Before I begin my graduate studies he calls me in for a meeting and he tells me that there is another research project I could work on which dealt with lung inflammation and asthma which I really am not interested in studying. I am interested in neuroscience. I keep telling him that I want to work with brain tissue but he keeps insisting that I do my project on lung inflammation and work with lung tissue because he says it will be easier to publish a paper. ALthough I really want to have a paper published I do not want to work on something I don't like and regret later on. I don't think I will be successful if I work on something that I don't like. HE is causing be stress and headache and I don't like where this is going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 Is there a neutral third party in your department (maybe another professor, or one of his other grad students) who is familiar with this professor and his research that you could talk to about the situation? What you need to figure out is whether he is directing you to this other project because of his own agenda, or whether he is doing it because he foresees a lot of problems with the other project and is looking out for your best interests. If it's the second situation, then it might be best to just go with his suggestion (unless you can find another supervisor who has a project you can work on that's more in line with your interests). You'll still probably learn useful techniques from doing it, and doing a project that isn't exactly what you had in mind is better than doing what you wanted but having major issues with it. But if it's the first situation, then get out of there as soon as you can. You don't want to spend the next two years being manipulated by someone. I kind of get the idea from your posts that this is probably the case, but if you can talk to someone else in your department, I think that would really help you see what your best option is. Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globy321 Posted February 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hi astrogirl. I think he is directing me to this project because of his own agenda because he published a paper in this topic and he has put a patent in this research area, so he wants to expand in this research area. So I think he wants me to focus on this area for his own agenda. Also he had a grant application declined recently so I'm not sure if that has something to do with that as well. Not sure what to do. Any advice?? I will talk to another supervisor if I can this week. He has been very discouraging recently about publishing a paper. He is saying it's very hard to get a paper published for a Masters student. He was saying that less than 50% of Masters students have a paper published. This has really discouraged me from his research area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrogirl Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hmmm. Yeah, he's sounding sketchier and sketchier. Your best bet is probably just to switch supervisors right away. Just make sure that when you tell him you're wanting to switch supervisors, you emphasize that it's because you've found a project with another supervisor that you really want to work on, not that you don't want to work with him, so that you're still on good terms with him if he ends up being on your thesis committee or you end up TA-ing for him at some point. It shouldn't be a big issue, though. Lots of grad students switch supervisors or projects near the beginning of their degree, so he shouldn't be too surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_horrible Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 This is BS. I've worked in my lab for 2 years, last year as a 4th year undergrad student, and this year as a tech. I've published once in undergrad, and just submitted a second paper. It is perfectly reasonable to want a publication out of the work you do for your Masters. It may not always happen, but I don't think a supervisor should be so discouraging from the get go. Hi astrogirl. I think he is directing me to this project because of his own agenda because he published a paper in this topic and he has put a patent in this research area, so he wants to expand in this research area. So I think he wants me to focus on this area for his own agenda. Also he had a grant application declined recently so I'm not sure if that has something to do with that as well. Not sure what to do. Any advice?? I will talk to another supervisor if I can this week. He has been very discouraging recently about publishing a paper. He is saying it's very hard to get a paper published for a Masters student. He was saying that less than 50% of Masters students have a paper published. This has really discouraged me from his research area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Henderson Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 Ya I'll second what Dr_horrible said. I'll have at least two papers from my masters and that's pretty much the norm for my school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starling Posted February 10, 2010 Report Share Posted February 10, 2010 It is pretty odd that your PI is essentially discouraging you from trying to publish a paper. Most M.Sc. students I know get at least one. Conversely, sometimes your project doesn't end up being what you wanted, or even what you initially discussed with your PI. That's just life. Sometimes it's best to just go along with it; depending on what research was going on in the lab right before you started or what grant(s) your PI did/didn't get, his research focus may change. If you're just doing an M.Sc., you may want to just stick it out, but if you really hate it, talk to your PI first, and if that doesn't fix anything, look into switching labs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoReds Posted February 11, 2010 Report Share Posted February 11, 2010 To be honest, I don't think it is in your best interest to go against your prof at this point. He/she will be your reference letter and mentor for the next two years. I understand that your not interested in the project at the moment, but perhaps giving a chance with his suggested project will foster new interest. Your disagreement with your prof unfortunately came after you selected his lab. If it came became before, you could simply choose another lab. But for the sake of your relationship with your PI, future letters of reference and possibly even publication record, get interested in the suggested project and discover/do something novel! As for switching prof's, in my department this is not taken to kindly by profs. It is embarrassing to them and they often feel that are left with a void. A substantial amount of thought should go into selecting a lab. I understand there are a host of variables that you do not see/realize until your in the lab. But usually at this point it is too late. People have switched in my department, but never on good terms. I think it is near impossible to do so, with out creating resentment and hostility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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